TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ma Ying-jeou Foundation (馬英九基金會) on Thursday (Nov. 28) dismissed reports that the deputy education minister suggested local high school students "lack maturity." The foundation organized a visit to Taipei Municipal Zhong Shan Girls High School (臺北市立中山女子高級中學) on a day earlier for 40 teachers and students from seven Chinese universities, but no student discussions were planned.
Media reports say Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) claimed Deputy Minister of Education Benson Yeh (葉丙成) thought high school students were not mature enough for discussions. However, Yeh denied making this statement. Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑), the foundation's CEO, confirmed Yeh never made such remarks and praised his support for the Chinese student delegation's visit.
Hsiao criticized some officials' concerns about the visit, emphasizing Taiwanese students' ability to discern good from evil. He accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) of lacking confidence in Taiwanese people due to their fear of unification efforts. Hsiao called on the DPP to prioritize the public and restore cross-strait exchanges, stating that such interactions are crucial for Taiwan's protection.
Meanwhile, Chinese Olympic gold medalist Ma Long (馬龍) enjoyed Taiwanese delicacies like bubble tea and beef noodles and looked forward to visiting night markets. Fellow Olympian Yang Qian (楊倩) expressed excitement about the Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) trip and tasting pineapple cakes and local snacks. Hsiao claimed that KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) publicly supported the foundation, with party leaders expressing strong backing, showcasing the Kuomintang's capability in handling cross-strait relations.